Liu Xiang of China waves to the crowd
after the men's 110m hurdles at the Prefontaine Classic track meet in
Eugene, Oregon, June 10, 2007. Liu Xiang will be absent from the country's
most important political event this month, a source in charge of reception
work confirmed here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Reuters file Photo)Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China's Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang will be absent from the country's most important political event this month, a source in charge of reception work confirmed here on Saturday.

The two sessions refer to the First Session of the
11th National People's Congress and the First Session of the National Committee
of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

"Liu will not attend the two sessions this year,"
said an unidentified manager of the Twenty-first Century Hotel in Beijing, which
hosts members of the CPPCC National Committee from the sports sector.

Liu, 25, is one of the youngest among the 2,237
members of the top political advisory body.

He will be in a squad of 11 Chinese athletes to the
world indoor championships in Valencia, Spain, from March 7 to 9, and compete in
the 60 meters hurdles.

Liu, from Shanghai, is the world record holder of the
men's 110m hurdles at 12.88 seconds. He was the first Chinese male athlete to
win track and field gold at the 2004 Athens Games.

The CPPCC session, scheduled to open on Monday, will
be attended by more than 2,200 members from 34 delegations grouped by varied
social sectors.

Wednesday will mark the opening of the First Session
of 11th NPC, the top legislature.